Climate Change, Bamboo Forests, & Pandas

CLIMATE change is threatening the giant panda. There are fears that
the bamboo on which the panda depends may be at risk from global
warming. Botanists at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) are
collaborating with colleagues in China in a project to help secure
the long-term survival of the giant panda. They are identifying and
surveying bamboo species in the mountains of China. Climate data will
then be used to predict how these areas will be affected by climate
change. The RBGE is also involved in research to predict and monitor
the impact of climate change on Scotland’s native plants. Plants such
as mosses, lichens and ferns are often extremely sensitive to
climatic conditions.